Etisalat by e& users in the UAE latest targets of cyber criminals

Telecoms firm offers advice on how to identify fraudulent emails

Etisalat has urged customers to be on alert for fraudulent emails. Photo: E-Vision

UAE residents have been warned to be alert for phishing emails sent to etisalat by e& customers asking them to click on a link to claim rewards.

“Dear customer, we decided to refund Dh220 for being a loyal member to our programme,” the email states in Arabic.

“You can request to deposit the money to your card by clicking on the link.”

One user, Mahmoud Al Sahlawi, tweeted the company with a screenshot of the email, asking for verification.

“Is this a new scam? Please reply Etisalat,” he tweeted.

Other customers also tweeted about receiving a suspicious email containing etisalat by e&'s old logo.

The telecoms company urged all customers to exercise caution and be vigilant when dealing with unsolicited emails or messages claiming to be from the company.

“Please don't click on any link and forward the email to [e-mail] for an action,” etisalat by e& replied on Twitter.

Phishing emails are used by fraudsters to dupe people out of money or personal information.

Several Etisalat customers in the UAE reported receiving suspicious emails urging them to click on a link to claim rewards. Photo: Twitter

According to the company website, customers should look for the telltale signs of phishing attempts, such as grammatical errors, unfamiliar sender email addresses and unsolicited messages from unknown sources.

If any email or message raises suspicion, customers are encouraged to contact Etisalat's official customer support channels to verify its authenticity.

How to identify fraudulent emails

According to etisalat by e&, there are a number of ways you can protect yourself from fraudulent emails.

Verify the sender by opening the sender's email address and checking that it is both from [e-mail] and is spelt correctly.

Check the email format for errors and make sure it looks similar to other emails from etisalat by e&.

Do not click a link without hovering over it and verifying it is registered with etisalat by e&. Do not download or run any software before verifying that the email is from the correct company.

Be on the lookout for urgent or emotional requests, as fraudsters will use the subject and the body of the email to create a sense of urgency.

Earlier this year, the UAE's telecoms watchdog warned consumers to be on alert for unexpected SMS messages that appear to be from well-known courier companies, as they could also be a phishing scam.

Cybercriminals attempted to entice users to click on a link leading them to a site where they are asked to submit personal information, said the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority.

This is then used to steal the consumer's money or identity.

These phishing attempts often purport to be from major postal and courier companies and ask recipients to click on a link to pay delivery fees or track a delivery.

Dubai Police told The National anyone who falls prey to scammers should report the incident through E-crime platform by Dubai Police.

“Always remember not to share your bank details through the phone call or online,” said Brig Saeed Al Hajri, director of Cybercrime department at Dubai Police.

“We've highlighted the cybercrime issue from the early stages. Cybercrime is constantly evolving, especially in light of the rapidly advancing technology which helps to commit crimes from overseas.

“Fraudsters will be jailed for at least one year and fined between Dh250,000 ($68,000) to Dh1 million if they commit such fraud, as per UAE laws.”

E-crime platforms were used by 25,841 people to report cybercrimes in the country in 2021.

“The e-crime platform has significantly helped curb cybercrime and detect new methods of scamming people. It is easy to use,” Brig Al Hajri said.